Infertility treatments for women with PCOS centre around trying to bring on ovulation every month and to optimise the chances of success. The ways to do this include:
- Weight loss - if you are overweight, losing even 5% of your weight can help you fall pregnant
- Lifestyle changes - smoking, alcohol and caffeine can affect fertility. If relevant you need to stop smoking and limit alcohol and caffeine intake
- Clomifene is a drug which can kick-start ovulation. It is taken for a few days per month. More information
- Hormone injections - these directly stimulate the eggs to be released but have more side effects than clomifene and a greater chance of multiple pregnancy
- Laparoscopic ovarian diathermy - via keyhole surgery, several small holes are made in the ovary and this can reverse the hormone problem causing the infertility
If these do not work, then IVF or test-tube baby treatment may be the only way forward.
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